Folding crate



Apr. 17, 1923. 1,452,404

B. s. ALLEN FOLDING CRATE Filed June 24, 1920 9 6 I g 0 I2 7 ,3. Ai/ip/L Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

v UNITED STATES- PATENT-creme.

BROADUS s. ALLEN, or eArFNnY, SOUTH CAROLINA, 'assrenon, BY MESNEASSIGN- 'MENTS, To MAY B. LIrsooMB.

Cat

FOLDING CRATE.

AppIication filed June 24, 1920. serial No. 391,300..

To all whom it may concern: W

Be it known that I, BRoADUs S. ALLE a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Gaffney, in the county of, Cherokee and State of South.Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements m a FoldingCrate, of which'the followingis a specification. j v a This inventionrelates to shipping crates of the folding or collapsible type. I

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed, cheapand efficient crate of this character which will occupy a minimumamountof space'when collapsed and which may be quickly set up andcollapsed when desired.

With this and other objects in v1ew,the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described andthen specifically pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the crate constituting thisinventlon shown in setup operative position.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the crate in setup position. i

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the crate in collapsed position, and, j

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of-the crate in collapsed position.

In the embodiment illustrated the crate constituting this inventioncomprises a base or bottom member 1 preferably rectangular inconfiguration and having fixed side members 2 and 3 secured to the outerside edges thereof the side member 2 being about twice as wide more orless, as the member 3 for a purpose presently to be described. Hinged tothese fixed side members 2 and 3 are fdldable side members 4 and 5, themember 5 which is wider than the member 4 being.

wardly and to hold them in vertical posi- 7 tion when opened up andprevent them with the end members and hold the bined hinged and fixed'side members the difference, 1n height being equal to the thickness ofthe top members 8 and 9 which are hinged to the upper edges of the sidemembers 4 and 5f and are adapted to fold betweenthe upper edges of theend members 6 and 7 when the crate is in closed operative position. (SeeFig. 1.)

The end members 6 and 7 are provided in their upper; edges with cutoutportions or I from opening outwardly beyondsuch posirecesses 10 whichare here shown formed midwaythe width of said end members and aredesigned to receive longitudinally eX- tending tongues 11 carried by thefree edges of the top members 8 and 9 the two tongues 11 being of awidth to correspond to the.

length of the recess 10 and fitting snugly therein as is shown clearlyin Figs. 1 and 2 so that when the crate isin setup position thesetongues will be interlockingly engaged parts in operatlve position. i

Sliding latches or pins 12 are preferably carried by the ends 6 and 7and are adapted of these pins is mounted adjacent each end of eachrecess and are designed to enter sockets or bores 14 formed in thetongues 11 opposite the grooves or seats in the ends in which said pinsare mounted. These pins are preferably provided with curved heads 15which are adapted to be turned down into seats 16 r so as to prevent thepins from slipping out after having been placed in position for lockingthe tops 8 and 9 in operative position.

The hinged side member 5 is preferably provided with an eye 17 toreceive a hook 18 carried by the other side member 4 when the crate isin collapsed position for locking the parts in this position.

In the use of this crate the parts being in I setup operative positionas shown inv Fig. 1 whenit is desired to collapse it for shipment orother purposes'the top members 8 and 9 are raised sufiiciently torelease the tongues 11 from the recesses 10 and the end members 6 and 7are then folded downwardly and inwardly flat against the base member 1.The

85 to project into the recesses 10 thereof. One

tops 8 and 9 are then folded inwardly flat against the inner faces ofthe side members 4; and 5 and the side member 5 carrying the top 9 isfolded down over the end members 6 and 7 as is shown clearly in Fig. 3.The

other side member 4 carrying the folded top 8 is then folded inwardlyuntil said top 8 rests on the outer face of the side member 5. When theparts are in this position the crate will be collapsed and will be heldin this position by the engagement of the hook 1'8 with the eye 17 abovedescribed.

It will thus be obvious that making the fixed side members 2 and 3 ofdifferent heights the "fold of the top and side members may be compactlyeffected. as is shown clearly in Fig". .1.

The preferred embodiment of the inven tion is disclosed in the drawingsand. set forth in the specification, but it will be understood that anymodifications within the scope of the claim may be made in theconstruction without departing from the principle of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

\Vhat I claim is A crate'c'om'prising a foldable body having recessedend walls, said recesses opening through the top edges of said walls, asectional top carried by the body, supporting tongues on the oppositeends of each section of the top and adapted to be seated in saidrecesses when the top is closed and the body set up, and oppositelydisposed manually operable fasteners concealed within each of the endwalls and slidable through the side walls of the recesses to engage andlock in the adjacent tongues at one end of the top sections whenseatedin the recesses, thereby fastening the said sections ofthe topclosed.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

BROADUS s. ALLEN.

